A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1590-1686
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Nikname, Nic(k)nam(e, v. [e.m.E. nycke-name (1536), f. Niknam(e,n.] tr. a. To call by a wrong name, to misname. b. To miscall, apply opprobrious names to. c. To call by a nickname.With and without complements.(1) c1590 Fowler I. 303.
I culd … haif niknamed the same [poem] also with ‘the deplorable … discourse of [etc.]’ … , bot that wer boythe vanitie and follye 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 218.
Some … hunger that maketh me miscall and nickname Christ as a changed Lord 1637 Ib. 489.
This is to nickname Christ and term Him a liar 1638 Ib. 549.
This way that the world nicknameth and reproacheth 1672 Aberd. Trades 297.
Whatsomever weaver … sall use bywords or nickname his neighbouris 1686 Kingarth Par. Rec. 153.
That Giles Frisel did nicknam himself and calied him Patrick Mollach(2) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 512.
Howbeit we be nicknamed Puritans c1650 Spalding I. 309.
This capitane wes treulie callit Forbes, bot nik named Kard 1658 R. Moray Lett. 15/25 Jan.
These expressions which you were pleased to nic-name compliments
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"Nikname v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/nikname_v>
